The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-20
BORING A GAS-WELL.


You drive across the dry sunny landscape
toward the derrick of the gas-well you alight.
and in grassy field You come upon shining
black boiler, whose gauges and other appur-
tenances have q glittering completeness. II
stands on loose stones and logs of wood, appar-
entity tossed down at random. A tall, swarthy
boy, whose hat has lost it's brim. is locnging
there. Occasionally he opens door under the
boiler. and you see glowing fire, while he
lightly, with strong, free gesture, losses in
great splintsrs Of coal from pile dumped
the grass near by. long, slack belt runs from
this boiler into carelessly built shed of new
boards. and therein stands the engine that runs
the gas-well drill that you have come see; you
perceive its huge projecting beam rising and fall
inc as it lifts and drops the well-drill The engine
is small, sturdy, com pact, and designed for the
express purpose of drilling eas-wels.
Near the engine stands the tall, open struct-
ure of the derrick and in its center hangs the
swell drill, which is simply an enormous
chisel continually rising and then falling to the
bottom of the well by means of the engine. The
derrick stands a light platform, across
side of which is a seat occupied of evenings by
row OF young girls realty dressed and wrapped,
and having their hair prettily arranged Be-
You'd the row of girls. outside of the derrick. is
q crowd of boys frantic to get in. mo-" says
the drill-master. Them boys has got to
keep off that bench! That bench is for the la
dies!" Other young fellows, in despair of get
ting in, are laughing, smoking and talking in
groups outside. On the other side Of the plat
form of the derrick. opposite the ladies' seat, is
forge in full blast where the drill is sharpened
when needful and before this stands group of
local dignitaries. stockholders in the we'll.
working men and others, comfortably hobnob-
bling while they watch the work of drilling and
behind them more hopeless boys raving
crazy to get peep at the drill, but unable to
do
Nothing is more wonderful than the ma
chinery of a gas-well drill 1t is impromptu, it
is crude, il is transitory, and it is simple. yet it
is amazingly effective-solid wrought steel and
brass would not equal it. A peg nailed to
beam, as if just picked up ano fastened there,
is exactly the right thing, YOU see. when the
drill master losses the end Of rope over it and
stops a whirling reel by its means. An iron
hook projecting through hole in board
regulates the throttle of the engine, dangling
rope reverses the engine, which is at little
distance, various poker handles, sticks, rings
and strings do the work of a dozen men. for
they close to the hand of the drill-master,
and he has no one to help him. He IS boss and
all hands" He keeps down the boys. is polite
to the lucky ones whom he admits to his derrick
platform. regulates the engine and works the
drill which ne constantly whirls with his hands.
that il may drill the hole circularly, and he can
feel il if is going right
Once in two hours the drill is stopped land is
lifted from the we'll by it's suspending rope.
which swiftly winds itself vast rough wind
lass with pungent friction smoke from hemp
and wood; the monstrous drill with a jerk hangs
itself high up in the derrick, at the will of the
master, and the dril!-man proceeds
measure the WELL which is hole four inches
across. in the middle of the platform. He uses
a steel tape, elega DC implement made for the
purpose, marked only in fifty feet, and
wound a reel He fastens plummet to q
clamp on the end of the tape, and down it drops.
thousand feet to the wells bottom. He
winds it up again by hand, carefully wiping the
sulphurcus dampness away with a clean cloth.
aud then oiling it with another cloth, lest it be
5aA u0 fhad Of he wall
and next brings up the minute. broken stone
debris from the wells bottom.
The well is dry, being lined with pipe keep
the water out. To clean out its debris he must
throw into it few pals of water, and then.
slap dab, down at the end of a rope he drops
TALL slim bucket. swiftly running from another
windlass in the derrick. The bucket has a valve
in its base through which the water PUSHES; the
weight of the water shuts and holds down the
valve while the bucket is being hoisted.
Look out now! Don't get wound ND yourself.
This isn't dry goods store! Hands off, and out
of the way every body!
Some handle, hook crook reverses the
bucket windlass, and, bang! up comes the
bucket. quickly it fell, and, whane! it is
dumped into a hole in the floor with thnd that
knocks the valve and let's the water, with its
debris of stone chips away out OF sight.
Then the bucket flies up to its place a hook
high in the derrick
Everything is done with a jerking velocity.
everything is balanced by a rough log, other
seeming careless appliance, so that it floats off
at a touch: everything shows American
nv and admiration The driller himself is an
athlete and capable person.
When gas is struck, if the well belongs to the
Standard OIL Company. il is capped; not an
ounce is wasted, and if to be marketed the gas
is piped in the costly and magnificent wrought
iron pipes of this great company, whose Z
joints require two men to lift them. IF the well
belongs to a small amateur company it is light
ed, ard wastes itself indefinitely with odd,
bowling scream, that affects the mind strangely.
The scream of burning gas well is a new
sound on this planet After a long time. per-
haps, the amateurs will put down some cheap
pipes having lead joints which melt at the least
heat. whence will come smells, explosions and
CONVERSATIONS. MARY DEAN.